http://swook.it/blog/2011/04/interning-101/
Interning 101:
Being an intern has a bad rep, no let me rephrase that, a very bad rep. An intern is commonly referenced as a slave. According to most people, an intern acts as a person at the “bottom of the food chain” and a person who is basically there to get coffee and make copies.
This is why most college kids are dreading getting an internship. I mean seriously, who wants to do “bitch work” for hours upon hours?
But the thing that I am here to tell you… and read very carefully… INTERNSHIPS CAN ACTUALLY BE REWARDING EXPERIENCES. However, it’s all up to you to make it a rewarding experience. For starters, when looking for an internship avoid applying to positions that use words like “assist in” or “data cleansing.” This translates to filing and e-mail clean up. Instead, look for key verbs such as “coordinate” and “responsible for.” This translates to working on projects that you are in charge of.
You must remember that the main reason for this internship is to gain experience. Having said that, you must make sure that you are actually performing tasks that you can later use on your resume and in job interviews. Which brings me to my second piece of advice, if you find yourself in an internship where you feel you are not doing anything valuable then say something. Speak with your supervisor and ask him or her for more responsibilities. Ask to sit in on some of their conference calls or meetings… BE PROACTIVE.
Just remember, an internship is not just about what you can do for a company but also what a company can do for you.
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